Speeding-cart.



1\To.v88'7,l3f3.v PATENTED MAY 12, 1908..

M. E. SMITH. SPEBDING CART.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31, 1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFIQE.

MERTON E. SMITH, OF BRONSON, MICHIGAN.

sPEEDING-CART.

No. 887,133. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 12, 1908.Application led. August 31, 1907. Serial No. 390,978. To all whom t mayconcern: rigidly secured to the adjacent transverse thill connecting bar9. Extending transversely, through the forks 5 are suitable stub shaftson which are mounted for rotation traction wheels 13 preferably providedwith rubber tires 14. The inner curved bars 1.() are connected by atransverse brace 15 to which are rigidly secured converging seatsupporting bars 16 carrying a seat or saddle 17 of any approvedconstruction. The seat ost 18 is secured to the converging ends of thebars 16 and is also connected to the thill connecting bar 9 by means ofa longitudinally disposed bar or brace 19.

Disposed in advance of the brace 15 is an auxiliary brace 20 whichextends in front of the wheels 13 and is rigidly secured to the curvedbars l() and 11 by clips or similar fastening devices 21.

Mounted on the stub axles of the traction wheels and extending atsubstantially right angles to the vertical forks 5 are horizontallydisposed guide forks 22 the closed ends of which are connected throughthe medium of a rod 23, the latter being independent of the frame andseated in a longitudinal groove 24 formed in the auxiliary brace 20, asshown. By connecting the closed ends of the forks 22 by the rod 23 andarranging the latter independently of the frame of the vehicle shouldeither wheel strike an obstruction or receive Be it known that I, MERTONE. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bronson, in thecounty of Branch and State of Michigan, have invented a new and usefulSpeed Cart or Sulky, of which the following is a specification. l

This invention relates to speed carts or sulkies and has for its objectto provide a strong, durable and thoroughly efficient cart of thischaracter especially designed for use by horse trainers and otherpersons for speeding and breaking horses. y

A further object of the invention is to provide a cart or sulky theguiding .forks of which are connected by a rod or bar indeendent of thesupporting frame so th at should either wheel strike an obstruction orreceive a jolt the other wheel will be correspondingly affected.

A further object is to provide a sulky in which the usual transverseaxle is dispensed with, the entire weight of the vehicle being suspendedfrom and supported by the wheel hubs.

A still further object of the invention is to generally improve thisclass of devices so as to increase their utility, durability andefficiency.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description,it being understood that various changes 1n form, proa jolt the otherwheel will be correspondingly portions and minor details of constructionaffected. The frame of the vehicle is further reinforced andstrengthened by the provision of diagonal bars 25 which extend from thebrace 15 to the'outer curved bars 11, the intermediate portions of saidbars being rigidly connected with the auxiliary brace 2O and the innercurved bars 10, as shown. Pivotally mounted on the thill connectingbrace 8 is a swingletree 26 and extending from a point in advance of theswingletree to the diagonal braces 25 is a guard or shield 27 formed ofcanvas, wood-veneer, slats or any other suitable material. y

Attention is here called to the fact that in the present device theusual transverse axle is dispensed with, the entire weight of thevehicle being suspended from and supported by the hubs of the tractionwheels.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A sulky including spaced wheel forks, thills secured to the forks,wheels journale in said forks, substantially horizontal forks connectedwith the forks, a brace extending may be resorted to within the scope ofthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification:Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a speed cart or sulky constructed inaccordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view ofthe same.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of thefigures of the drawings.

The improved sulky forming the subject matter of the present inventionincludes a air of spaced vertically disposed forks 5 to which arerigidly secured by clips or similar fastening devices 6 the shafts orthills 7, the latter being connected by spaced transverse bars 8 and 9.

The lower ends of the forks 5 are rigidly secured to downwardly andrearwardly curved bars 1() and 11 which are united at their rear endsand connected with the downwardly curved ends 12 of the thills, theopposite ends of said bars being spaced apart and j transverse bar,rearwardly and transversely of the frame and operatively connected withthe thills, said brace being provided with a longitudinal seatinggroove, and a rod seated in said groove and connect-ed with thehorizontal forks.

2. A sulky comprising a frame including spaced wheel forks, thillssecured to the forks, wheels journaled in said forks, substantiallyhorizontal forks connected with the wheel forks, a brace extendingtransversely of the frame and operatively 'connected with the thills,and a rod connecting the horizontal forks and bearing against the brace,said rod being independent of the aine.

3. A sulky including' spaced wheel forks, thills secured to the forksand connected by a transverse bar, rearwardly and down.- wardly curvedbars secured to the transverse bar and fastened to the adjacent ends ofthe thills, wheels journaled in said forks, substantially horizontalforks secured to the wheel forks, and a rod connecting the horizontalforks.

4. A sulky including spaced wheel forks, thills secured to the forks andconnected by a transverse bar, rearwardly and downwardly curved barssecured to the transverse bar and fastened to the adjacent ends of thethills, a transverse brace connecting the adjacent curved bars, a seatsupported by the brace, wheels journaled in said forks, substantiallyhorizontal forks connected with the Wheel forks, and a rod connectingthe closed ends of the horizontal forks.

5. A sulky including spaced wheel forks thills secured to the upper endsof the forks and having their rear ends curved downwardly, a transversebar connecting the thills, spaced downwardly 'and rearwardly curved barsdisposed on opposite sides of the vvertical forks and having theirulpper ends spaced apart and secured to the thi connecting bar, andtheir lower ends united to the deflected ends of the thills, atransverse brace connecting the adjacent curved bars, wheels journaledin said forks, substantially horizontal forks secured to the wheelforks7 and a rod connecting the horizontal forks.

6. A sulky including spaced wheel forks, thills secured to the forks andconnected by a downwardly curved bars embracing the forks and havingtheir upper ends secured to the transverse bar and their lower endsconnected with the thills, a transverse brace connecting the ad* ljacent curved bars, wheels journaled in said forks, substantiallyhorizontal forks connected with the wheel forks, an auxiliary transversebrace secured to the curved bars, and a rod bearing against theauxiliary brace and connecting the horizontal forks.

7. A su ky including spaced wheel forks,

. thills secured to the closed ends of the forks and having their rearends curved downwardly, a transverse bar connecting the thills,rearwardly and downwardly curved bars embracing the vertical forks andhaving their upper ends spaced apart and secured to the thill connectingbar and their lower ends united and fastened to the deflected ends ofthe thills, clips secured to the forks and ernj bracing the curved bars,a transverse brace connecting the adjacent curved bars, wheels journaledin said forks, substantially horizontal forks connecting the wheelforks, an auxiliary brace disposed in advance of the wheels, a rodbearing against the auxiliary brace and connecting the horizontal forks,diagonal braces connected with the rnain and auxiliary braces landsecured to the curved bars, and. a seat supported by one of thetransverse braces.

8. A sulky including spaced wheel forks, thills secured to the closedends of the forks and having their rear ends deflected downwardly, atransverse bar connecting the thills, spaced bars connected with theowerends of the forks and having their upper ends spaced apart and theirlower ends united andl connected with the deflected ends of the thills,stub shafts carried by the wheel forks, wheels mounted for rotation onthe stub shafts, substantially horizontal forks secured to the ends ofthe stub shafts, a transverse brace connecting the adjacent curved bars,an auxiliary transverse brace dis osed in advance of the wheels andhaving a lbngitudinal seating groove formed therein, a rod seated insaid groove and connecting the horizontal forks, said rodbeingindependent of the aux- I iliary'brace, seat supporting posts secured toone of the transverse braces, a seat supported by the posts, and alongitudinal brace connecting the seat and thill connecting bar.

In testimony that I claiin the foregoing as rny own, I have heretoaffixed Iny signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MERTON E. SMITH.

Witnesses:

RELL D. STRANG, R. D. PowERs.

